Pac-12 predictions: Week 14

Ted went 5-1 last week and Kevin went 4-2. Both missed on Arizona's upset of Oregon, and Kevin picked Oregon State to beat Washington, which it didn't. So, Beavers fans, Kevin is now your villain!

That leaves your bloggers tied at 69-16 for the season.

Friday

WASHINGTON STATE AT WASHINGTON

Kevin Gemmell: I think this is an interesting game because -- aside from the normal rivalry -- this game has some meaning for postseason play, which is something we haven’t said in a while. I think Mike Leach has gotten every drop out of his team. But Washington’s motivation to break that seven-game seal, and the fact that they are at home, makes me lean toward the Huskies. Washington 35, Washington State 27.

Ted Miller: Both teams posted nice wins last week that they really needed. The Huskies playing at home in some ways almost feels canceled by the potential absence of Keith Price. Cyler Miles did a solid job off the bench versus UCLA and starting at Oregon State, but the Beavers' defense offered pretty much zero resistance. Still, I like a big day from Bishop Sankey in front of the home fans. Washington 42, Washington State 27.

OREGON STATE AT OREGON

Kevin Gemmell: It’s pretty obvious that an Oregon State victory would heal more wounds than an Oregon win would. At the same time, Oregon is just simply a better team right now than the Beavers. Oregon 42, Oregon State 21.

Ted Miller: You'd think both would be motivated after looking awful last week. The problem is that the Ducks' issues seem more solvable. The one-dimensional Beavers offense has been slipping since the competition got better, and the defense has yielded 130 points over the past three weeks. Oregon 45, Oregon State 20.

Saturday

ARIZONA AT ARIZONA STATE

Kevin Gemmell: I’m well aware of the recent trend of road teams winning. But I also think ASU has a ton of motivation to win this so it can stay home for the Pac-12 title game. That’s a huge, huge factor. A lot will depend on which Arizona team shows up. The one that stomped Oregon? Or the one that lost to Washington State? We’re pretty sure we know which ASU team will show up at home. Arizona State 38, Arizona 31.

Ted Miller: I witnessed Arizona beat Oregon, and the Wildcats looked fantastic on both sides of the ball. I also watched the Sun Devils outlast UCLA, one of the bigger wins for the Sun Devils in recent years. I'm taking the Sun Devils because they are great at home, the stadium will be rocking and the Wildcats have not posted a quality road win this year. Arizona State 30, Arizona 27.

UCLA AT USC

Kevin Gemmell: Toughest call of the week, and maybe the toughest call of the year. How will UCLA respond after the loss to Arizona State -- especially when the South title is no longer on the line? I don’t think any extra motivation is needed in this rivalry. But there’s a sense that USC is playing much more relaxed and loose. Also, USC is awesome at getting after the quarterback, and UCLA gave up nine sacks last week. USC 27, UCLA 24.

Ted Miller: Kevin's right, this is a tough call. It just seems like USC has a lot of momentum right now and is playing at home, and the Bruins last won in the Coliseum in 1997. USC 30, UCLA 27.

COLORADO AT UTAH

Kevin Gemmell: The Utes are a different team at home, plain and simple. I really like what Mike MacIntyre has done in this first season, and I think Colorado’s trajectory is heading north. For all of Utah’s struggles of late, that defense is still really, really tough -- especially at home. Utah 24, Colorado 13.

Ted Miller: I agree with Kevin about the Utes playing in Rice-Eccles Stadium. It's notable that their five-game slide happened during a stretch where they played four of five on the road, the lone home loss being a 20-19 nail-biter to Arizona State. I suspect QB Adam Schulz will play better in large part because the Utes should be able to run on the Buffaloes. Utah 28, Colorado 24.

NOTRE DAME AT STANFORD

Kevin Gemmell: This is still a critical game for Stanford. It doesn’t want to be heading into the title game with a loss, and if it does lose, and then loses to ASU, its bowl position could slip dramatically. A victory over a rival -- one that’s already beaten ASU and USC, by the way -- would go a long way. Stanford shouldn’t be resting on any laurels, and I don’t think it will. Stanford 31, Notre Dame 21.

Ted Miller: Notre Dame has been good enough to beat Arizona State, Michigan State, USC and BYU, but it also lost to Michigan and Pittsburgh. It's notable that two of those losses were on the road. So we're going with the homestanding Cardinal, who are unbeaten at home. Stanford 24, Notre Dame 20.